Wednesday, 21 October 2015

Old friends of ours and part of the Brilliant Books "house" team, Valentine and Farah delighted the children of the Free School as we move towards half term and the conclusion of the first tranche of the Brilliant Books visit.First Valentine.

Valentine's visit coincided with Black History month. For those of you who have recenty joined us, Valentine is from the Masai, a tribe from Kenya, who are governed by a strict, ancient patriarchal code. Her early life was spent fetching water from the well (a seven mile round trip), cooking for her brothers and looking after the family's livestock. Discontented with this, and full of desire to better herself, Valentine, who was prevented by tribal strictures from speaking to her father directly, and not content that her five brothers were all at school while she was ignored, wrote a poem.https://vimeo.com/10067804It is WELL worth a watch. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when we all watched it. After hearing the poem underneath an ancient tree, her father wept. In order to send her to school, Valentine's father sold his prize bull. There, she read Alice In Wonderland and was instantly hooked on reading.

She read the instructions on canned goods, sacks of grain, old leaflets, manuals, anything she could get her hands on. She read by candlelight in the tribal huts and by the dying of the light after the day's chores were completed. Naturally, the group was spellbound by this and by the tale of how Valentine left for Great Britain, to study Business at Nottingham University. Recently, she passed her MBA - and only a decade ago, she could barely speak a word of English. She is a famed - and passionate - advocate against FGM (still a major problem in some British cities) and regularly speaks at conferences about this.

The kids asked all sorts of questions - this is the most vocal, inquisitive, lively group we've had so far - and Valentine answered them all and we were all spellbound by her journey.

Mr Cleveley, who co-ordinates for us at the school, said that the kids got a huge amount out of this session and bear in mind, there are people here who have never read a book outside the classroom.

We will be buying the school many copies of Alice In Wonderland as a tribute to Valentine. Thank you, V - you were much appreciated :-)

Then, on Wednesday this week, Farah Khan returned. She's one of my favourite hosts. Lively, funny and a superb presenter, Farah is the Student Liaison officer for Nottingham City Council.

What Farah doesn't know about community development you can write on a matchbox cover. She talked about how she ensures the safety of incoming students (over 60,ooo come to Nottingham from all over the world), how she talks about community responsibility, from being a good neighbour in areas like Lenton (which is about 60% student), recycling, bin management and how students and the local community relate.

I wanted to ask a question about Student Wednesday Nights in town, but the kids beat me to it with a torrent of questions.

The book she chose was seventies cult classic The Westing Game...

Farah read a short piece - and here she is, on video.

Though reluctant to read - and in some cases, reluctant to write - the youngsters are prolific communicators, racing to ask questions of our hosts and Farah was not spared.

I really enjoyed this session and I know the kids did too. Thank you, Farah - look forward to seeing you back in action at the next school.

This course was funded, as all our programmes in schools are, by the Big Lottery Fund

If you want to get involved - and there are stories Phil and me could tell you privately about young people and books which would make your hair curl - then you can do so in the following ways.1) Share this blog far and wide on Twitter and FB2) Come to our Benefit Night in Nottingham on November 13th and meet the regulars, with all proceeds to Brilliant Books.3) If you cannot make it, then consider purchasing this little beauty - an Absent Ticket Book - containing eleven quality writers all mad passionate about intervening with #reluctantreaders and making them fall in love with reading again.

You can find the purchase details here - and also the details of the benefit night on the 13th. www.greenwizardpublishing.blogspot.co.ukIt's not just writers - three guitar bands appear (and there's a discipline that needs a boost too in the modern era), including Phil's band, New Apostles.

Thank you for reading, everyone and remember - a society that doesn't read is a poorer society than one that does.Mark

Thursday, 8 October 2015

Kevin is a leading member of the Bulwell Town Team: a community-drawn committee working with the City Council to empower local people. They are currently looking at entrepreneurial projects for young people and are part of the North Notts Creative Forum, encouraging local people (in an area off high unemployment) to "create" art, writing, sculpture etc. Dickensian moral fable "Great Expectations" was Kevin's chosen book, a more traditional offering after last weeks graphic hi jinks.

Kevin created a fine presentation, including the video from the original David Lean film, the meeting between Magwich and Pip in the cemetery where the latter's parents were buried.

Then, the kids got together to look at character for their upcoming short stories. Working in small groups, the stories came thick and fast.

These two young lads are team writing a zombie/apocalypse type story each week, which will be featured in the anthology.

The young people are beginning to settle down after three weeks. Some are natural readers. Some natural writers. Others remain to be convinced of both, but that's what Brilliant Books is about. We hope to inspire them and that's why the project needs eight weeks per group.

Of course, on every course we deliver (for adults as well as children) we offer the chance to read to the group. If anyone did become an author (there is promise here, and on the previous group), then the ability to read work in public is a critical skill. Not everyone enjoys performance and we don't push, but during Brilliant Books, some have discovered a nascent ability to do this. This adds another dimension - reading, writing, performance - all connected to the love of books.

Thank you, Kevin, for inspiring a terrific session.

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This week, Kathy McArdle, the Chief Executive of Nottingham's Creative Quarter was our Host. We were privileged to get her as the NCQ is one of Nottingham's busiest, most thriving organisations, dedicated to ensuring the City wins it's bid to become a World City of Literature. Here she is with some of the girls in the group.

Kathy is a brilliant activities facilitator - we've been to several of her workshops - and she got straight down to business, reading from Louisa. M. Alcott's classic sisterhood drama, Little Women.

Because Kathy can facilitate (and this being a feisty group), the questions came thick and fast.

Again, the pupils sat down to do some work on their short stories (after a healthy fruit break) and Kathy worked with a group of four.

on dialogue

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before they were asked to perform their dialogues to the rest of the group. Here's Paige and Jess...

All in all this was an excellent session. Thank you to Kathy McArdle for Hosting here.

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The Brilliant Books team donated a series of Dickens books to the school this week - the collection is building nicely!!

Next week, top Nottingham community developer and University liaison officer Farah Khan is back - those with good memories will know that Farah joined us last year for one of Brilliant Books' best sessions and she will always be welcome back.